In the Spirit

Dissecting a Cocktail

By Tony Cross

Its origin dates to the early 1900s, and its recipe was first printed in the 1920s. I’ve found various sources that have differing opinions on which bar and what bartender had the first recipe, but many agree that the mojito we all now love and cherish was the drink famously served at Sloppy Joe’s in Havana, Cuba.

There are different ways to attack the execution of this cocktail — some bartenders prefer to build this drink in the glass that they are serving it in, while others employ tins to shake the mint, lime, sugar and rum. I’ve practiced both methods, and I prefer the former. No matter which one you choose, one thing should not be overlooked: Do not annihilate your mint.

Mojito

Specifications

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce rich simple syrup (or 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar)

8-12 mint leaves

2 ounces white rum

2-3 ounces club soda

4 drops salt solution (optional)

Mint sprig for garnish

Execution

Combine lime juice, syrup or sugar and mint leaves in a Collins glass. Gently press and twist to express mint oils. (If you’re using cane sugar, you can mix with lime juice before adding mint to dissolve. Bartender and author Garret Richard has a great hack: Use a milk frother — it’s perfect.) Add rum and cracked ice. Gently stir. Top with more cracked or crushed ice and garnish with mint sprig.    PS

Tony Cross owns and operates Reverie Cocktails, a cocktail delivery service that delivers kegged cocktails for businesses to pour on tap — but once a bartender, always a bartender.